Last 2 yrs have only gone to SB when sunny. I have a chance to go tomorrow and mostly cloudy skies are predicted. Question....are fish visible on the flats on a mostly cloudy day....taking daughter again and don't want to drive 2 1/2 hrs each way if the conditions will be poor to sight fish. Been listening to Boston TV for specific forescast.....seems that the Cape is treated by Boston as a foreign country.....maybe I'll get better weather info when they forecast the Middle East on the weather channel :(
Ron

striblue

07-20-2003, 06:41 PM

I think it's almost impossible to really do effective sight fishing in overcast skies... if the botom is shallow enough and and the sand can reflect a shadow..you might be able to pick out some fish...but from a distance it virtually impossible. Most fish will probably be right on top of you before you see them.

Paxton

07-20-2003, 07:16 PM

Thanks Striblue.......I feared the answer....but appreciate it...she's here for another week and a half, hopefully the weather will settle. I did not want to drive 5 hrs total only to be frustrated.
Oh God...that means we go to a mall and sight fish for sales :eyecrazy:

Smcdermott

07-20-2003, 09:14 PM

Paxton,

I find that Accuweather.com has a pretty reliable forecast if you check it within 36 hours of the timeframe you are looking at. They are calling for partial sunshine with approx. 50% cloud cover tomorrow. Might be able to sneak a peak at a few fish but probably not prime. Shopping or fish?

Sean

Nick

07-21-2003, 07:19 AM

Somehow the FFF Ninja can see fish even in darkness, I am convinced. I still am baffled by this, and don't know how he does it. I think He may have a lateral line ;)

Nick

Paxton

07-21-2003, 09:10 AM

Thanks Guys......will put accuweather.com on my "favorites"....Boston channels are frustrating. FF Ninja....that must be Juro....bet he doesn't cast to a moving pod of horseshoe crabs 70 ft off, like I did last time.....but my attitude is.....when in doubt......throw the line :D

striblue

07-21-2003, 01:58 PM

Nick... this is true... Juro can sight fish at night... I was only answer for us mere mortals;)

juro

07-21-2003, 09:15 PM

Nick -

Thanks for the tip on the wrist watch fish finder - since then I have been able to 'see' fish coming regardless of the weather. Those aren't just new pointy fashion boots I'm wearing, they have a transducer mounted in the toe. :hehe:

Ron -

I prefer the noaa weather site, it's the source for all the other weather sites but packaged with ads and schpeel I don't care about.

In my opinion, sight fishing in low light is frustrating at best. There are a few spots where it can be done but communicating the fish's location to others is hard enough on a bright day never mind a dim one. Frankly, I'll cancel sight fishing trips if the light conditions are not available, cancelled for tomorrow in fact.

That being said, if the tide is right and you know where fish will be at certain phases you can stake them out and act on less visual feedback to find fish - Nick will tell you about seeing their wakes as they make a push, flashing behavior, or standing off to target fish in very shallow water where you know them to frequent at a given tide. But if the wind kicks up in addition to dim light, or rain dimples the surface, or if the tides don't accomodate you, your time will be much better spent blind casting in productive rips or channels closer to home or in some of the other beautiful locales around the cape.

Lately I've been working South Beach more than North Monomoy if there is a threat of cloud cover. With the right two-hander fishing the ocean side is a piece of cake and there are always grabby fish in the surf if you read the subtleties in the shore and keep the fly in play beyond the breakers. If the cloud bank clears you can walk back to the flats. The backside is not for everyone, it's not an easy place to fish with a single-handed rod.

I pick my days very carefully for sight fishing and ambient light is right up there with tide and presence of fish.

In any case good luck and I envy you for having a fishing daughter!

Paxton

07-22-2003, 09:07 AM

Again....thanks Juro. Amy leaves the 6th, hope we get out again at least a couple of times. Planning on next Mon or Tues with the favorable tides...will wait on weather and will try your weather site. Now down to the cellar and try to create a sandworm fly...."olive down the middle" is a good idea....last time out, saw at least 100 fish in 1 ft of water, circling on a clam flat....they were there for at least an hour and a half....sandworms?? Re daughter's interest.....it was cultivated at least 25 yrs ago dunking worms over the side of my canoe for countless sunfish.....then one day I let her reel in a largemouth.....and the interest in little fish was no more :-)